Buckle.



No. 861,111. PATBNTED JULY 23, 1907.

J. W. GONGL v BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILI-1D APB.. 7,1904.

Arm/Mfrs THE NoRRxs PETERS co., wAsHlNa'mN, n. c.

JOHN WISDOM GONOE, OF KINDERHOOK, ALABAMA.

BUCKLE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application sied April 7,1904.. serial No. 202,030.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J oHN WISDOM GoNCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kinderhook, in the county of Jackson and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Buckle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates-to buckles and more particularly to those applicable to back bands, suspenders and the like.

It has for its principal objects the provision of a buckle which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable in use, and effective in operation.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of my invention, this form being more especially adapted for use in connection with harnesses; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar view with a strap or the like shown in co-action with the buckle; Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustrating the position of the elements for adjusting the strap and to allow the disengagement of the chain; and Fig. 6 shows another form of my invention applied to a suspender end.

10 designates the body portion or plate in which is formed a longitudinal opening or slot 1l. At the bottom of this slot is shown an outwardly turned flange 12 and on the opposite side is an extended projection 13, here shown as struck up from the body of the plate. Both of these elements, in addition to functions which will be hereinafter stated, serve to strengthen the plate and prevent its bending under longitudinal strains. At each end of the slot 11 is located a bracket or flange 14 conveniently bent up from the material ofthe plate and incidentally serving to strengthen it against bending under transverse strains. Each of these flanges is provided with an elongated opening 15.

Situated in front of the slot is a retaining member or tongue 16 which is shown as cut-away upon its upper edge at 17 an amount substantially equal to the length of the slot. 1t is rotatably mounted by means of bearing projections 18 situated at each side of one extreme edge which enter the flange openings 15, the size of the projections and openings being such that some bodily movement of the tongue, as well as the swinging about its pivotal support, is permitted. At the edge of each fiange, at its upper extremity adjacent to the plate, is formed a recess 19 into or out of coaction with which extensions 19, 19a at the ends of the tongue may move. When the extensions 19EL of the tongue 16 engage the recesses 19 of the body 10, the tongue will be held in engaging position and prevented from moving out of such position by the projections 18 of the tongue engaging the openings 15. Beyond each recess is a projection 20 from the flange, which furnishes a stop face into contact with which the tongue may come in its disengaged position to limit its movement.

Below the slot 11 is an opening or slot 21 situated near the upper portion of an extension 22 from the plate. In the rear of this extension, lying between the opening 21 and the outer edge of the plate, is a recess 23. The slot 21'serves for mounting a hook or support H, the bent end 24 of which passes through it from the rear, while its shank 25 lies within the recess 23 flush with the rear surface of the plate. The engaging portion 26 of the hook extends forwardly and may be closed by a projection 27, here shown as integral with the plate and bent at an angle therefrom.

In the use of my improved buckle, the strap or band S is inserted through the slot 11 at its upper side and brought over the tongue, then is passed back through the slot beneath the tongue and downwardly at the rear of the plate. When a strain is put on the lower portion oi the buckle it draws. the tongue into the recesses 19 in the flanges and retains it against outward movement and tightly grips the strap against the projection 13, while, at the same time, it bears with lconsiderable frictional resistance over the cut-away portion 17 and the upper edge of the slot, it being prevented from slipping away from the load even though the contacting portions be smooth or rounded. As the strap is not pressed between extended faces, as is common in buckles, but may stand away from the surface at most points, a free circulation of air is permitted by it, which enables it to quickly dry and prevents deterioration. If it is desired to change the position of the strap, the lower end is pressed back through the slot, which raises the tongue from the recess and causes it to assume the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, substantially at right angles to the plate. The strap may now be easily moved in either direction; then when the adjustment has been accomplished, the tongue may be again made to resume its normal position in the recesses b y a strain upon the upper portion of the strap. The buckle will also hold securely when the tongue is in the position illustrated in Fig. 5, but with the ends of the strap extending in the same direction, oppositely from the hook H.

To allow a chain or the like to enter the hook, this may be swung backward or the plate of the buckle moved somewhat forward, which will result in the plate projection 27 clearing the opening, when the chain may be introduced. It will be seen that this closure for the hook or support is entirely independent from the retaining member for the strap, permitting one or the other to be introduced or adjusted without danger of disturbing its fellow. It is common in buckles of this class to depend upon single or directly connected members to control both of these portions,

and this proves to be extremely inconvenient, since7 for example7 in removing or inserting the chain, the strap is liable to be so loosened that it will slip.

It should be noted that the yplay of the bearing projections 18 in the openings l5 not only allows the engagement. or disengagement oi the tongue with the locking recesses, but also permits the iormer to adjust itself readily to various thicknesses oi straps or webbing which may be used in connection with the buckle.

The form of myv invention illustrated in Fig. 6 is substantially similar' to that previously described, except that for the slot 2l, with its adjacent recess and the co-acting hook, a slot 28 is formed in a body-extension oi somewhat different contour and is adapted to receive the end W oi a suspender.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. The combination with a plate provided with a slot,

of a iiange located at each end of the slot and having an opening and 'also having a recess in its edge, and a tongue pivoted in the openings and movable into or out of the recesses.

2. The combination with a plate provided with a slot, of a fiange located'at each end of the slot and having an opening and also having a recess in its edge adjacent to the plate and with a projection beyond this recess, and a tongue pivoted in the openings movable into or out of the recesses and adapted to contact With the projections.

3. A buckle comprising a plate provided with two opentings and a recess extending from one opening to the edge of the plate, a tongue co-acting with one opening, and a hook engaging the other opening and lying Within the recess.

4. A buckle comprising a body provided with an opening, a narrow retaining member movable opposite one side of the opening, this movement being limited by the lower edge of said opening, means for locking the retaining mem ber in its engaging position, and a stop to limit the movement of the retaining,l member from its engaging position. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JNO. WISDOM GONCE. Witnesses J. F. CnABTnnn, F. L. GONCE. 

